Editing Archie MacLaren (section)

{{Short description|English cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Infobox cricketer
|                name = Archie MacLaren
|               image = Archie MacLaren.jpg
|             caption = MacLaren in 1905
|          image_size = 255px
|             country = England
|            fullname = Archibald Campbell MacLaren
|            nickname = Archie
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1871|12|1|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Whalley Range, Greater Manchester|Whalley Range]], Manchester, Lancashire, England
| death_date          = {{death date and age|1944|11|17|1871|12|1|df=y}}
| death_place         = [[Warfield]], Berkshire, England
|            heightft =
|          heightinch =
|             heightm =
|             batting = Right-handed
|                role =
|              family = {{Plainlist|
* [[James MacLaren (cricketer)|James MacLaren]] (brother)
* [[Geoffrey MacLaren]] (brother)
}}
|       international = true
|       testdebutdate = 14 December
|       testdebutyear = 1894
|    testdebutagainst = Australia
|             testcap = 92
|        lasttestdate = 11 August
|        lasttestyear = 1909
|     lasttestagainst = Australia
|               club1 = [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]]
|               year1 = {{nowrap|1890–1914}}
|             columns = 2
|             column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
|            matches1 = 35
|               runs1 = 1,931
|            bat avg1 = 33.87
|           100s/50s1 = 5/8
|          top score1 = 140
|         deliveries1 = 0
|            wickets1 = –
|           bowl avg1 = –
|            fivefor1 = –
|             tenfor1 = –
|       best bowling1 = –
|  catches/stumpings1 = 29/–
|             column2 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
|            matches2 = 424
|               runs2 = 22,236
|            bat avg2 = 34.15
|           100s/50s2 = 47/95
|          top score2 = 424
|         deliveries2 = 321
|            wickets2 = 1
|           bowl avg2 = 267.00
|            fivefor2 = 0
|             tenfor2 = 0
|       best bowling2 = 1/44
|  catches/stumpings2 = 452/–
|                date = 11 November
|                year = 2008
|              source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/16871.html ESPNCricinfo
}}

'''Archibald Campbell MacLaren''' (1 December 1871&nbsp;– 17 November 1944) was an English [[cricket]]er who captained the [[English cricket team|England cricket team]] at various times between 1898 and 1909. A right-handed [[Batting (cricket)|batsman]], he played 35 [[Test cricket|Test matches]] for England, as captain in 22 of those games, and led the team to defeat in four [[The Ashes|Ashes]] series against Australia. An [[Amateur status in first-class cricket|amateur]], MacLaren played [[first-class cricket]] for [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]], captaining that county for most of his career. As a batsman, MacLaren was one of the leading cricketers of his time and had a reputation as a fast-scoring stylist. In 1895, he scored 424 runs in an [[Innings#Cricket|innings]] against [[Somerset County Cricket Club|Somerset]] which was the highest individual score in first-class cricket until 1923 and remained a record in English cricket until 1994. Opinions were divided over his captaincy. He was a deep thinker on the game and critics believed him to be tactically advanced, but his pessimism, clashes with the selectors and inability to get the best out of his players led most commentators to rate him a poor leader.

After attending [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public school]], MacLaren played intermittently for Lancashire until 1899 as he tried to establish a career outside the sport. Even so, he was appointed county captain in 1894 and was chosen frequently to play for England. An appointment as Lancashire's assistant secretary allowed him to play more regularly from 1900. He first captained England in 1898 as a stand-in, but became captain in his own right in 1899. Under his leadership, England lost to Australia in three consecutive series—1899, 1901–02 and 1902. MacLaren was involved in controversies throughout all three defeats, and was replaced as captain in 1905, although he remained in the team. Business interests kept him out of the game for the following years, but he was invited to lead England once more in 1909. Defeat in that series ended his Test career, and the following year he ceased playing regular first-class cricket. He played occasionally until 1922–23, and had some late successes: in 1921, a team selected and captained by MacLaren defeated a previously unbeaten Australian team, and on his final first-class appearance during a 1922–23 [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] tour of New Zealand, he scored 200 runs.

MacLaren had many jobs as he attempted to find ways to support his cricket, family and lifestyle. At various times, he worked as a teacher, a journalist and a cricket coach. For many years, he was employed as Lancashire's assistant secretary but such were his financial worries that he often had to ask for cash advances from the committee, with which he had a stormy relationship. He worked for several years as private secretary to [[K. S. Ranjitsinhji]] and he became involved in his employer's financial scandals. Many of MacLaren's later business ventures were failures, and only when his wife came into an inheritance did he and his family live in comfort. Throughout his life, MacLaren was involved in many disagreements and was never popular with teammates. However, he was a hero to the cricket writer [[Neville Cardus]], who wrote prolifically on him. MacLaren died in 1944, aged 72.